


Prelude: a piece, not a song

by CommaAngel



Category: twoset violin
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, TwoSet Violin - Freeform, breddy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:22:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26922079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommaAngel/pseuds/CommaAngel
Summary: Inspired by TwoSet Violin's PreludeThe day Eddy turns perfect and in which Brett realizes the last years were just the prelude.
Relationships: Eddy Chen/Brett Yang
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64





	Prelude: a piece, not a song

**Author's Note:**

> This idea popped in my head when I listened to Prelude for the first time. Six hours later, here we are!  
> I hope you enjoy it! <3

It ended on 3rd March of 2011. It was Brett's birthday, but they were celebrating the future, the years to come.

Eddy was beginning his first year in university in a few days, and Brett his second, so they were enjoying their last days of summer the best way they knew: bubble tea, practice, and each other.

On that day, Brett had woken up to the sound of 'Happy birthday' in Eddy's violin.

"Rise and shine, Bretty Brett!" he yelled, making the music fell out of rhythm for a couple of bars. Brett just grunted and buried his head in his pillow. No one ever took him as an early person. "Bro, come on! I bought you bubble tea and everything!"

With that, Brett risked a glance outside of the soft pillowcase. Eddy was putting down his violin and grabbing two extra-large cups of sweet, sweet bubble tea.

"Oh, now you're interested?" Eddy laughed, as Brett stood up, blindly reaching for his glasses.

The sun was out and high outside his window and a thousand golden particles fell into the bedroom, revealing the old writing desk where their violin cases stood and the blue chair next to it, the used grey carpet and the bed where Eddy had taken a sit.

He handed one of his cups to Brett. "Happy birthday, man."

"Thanks," the other muttered, his voice still throaty from sleep. The bubble tea felt chill against his hands, and heavier than usual. "These are huge! Where did you get them?"

Eddy smiled, pushing his cheeks to his eyes. "A shop next to campus. They sell bottles with a litter of boba. How come you never told me about them?"

"A litter?" Brett grinned like he had won the jackpot. "If I knew these were around, I surely wouldn't keep silent about it."

The other laughed, and Brett felt the air leaving his lungs. Lately, there had been something about this laughs that made his lips want to turn upwards and his hands to reach and take Eddy's face in them. They were explosive, almost startling, full of teeth and joy, and so genuine, so truly Eddy's, that Brett felt frustrated he couldn't write it into a score and immortalise it, so the next generations could also savour and rejoice in such treasure.

"You are lucky I found them, then. You can pay me some, next time, to make things even," Eddy suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. Brett rolled his eyes but couldn't keep a small smirk away from his face.

"Fine," he conceded, and Eddy jumped off his bead with a 'yahoo!' "Thanks for finding the shop for me."

"Anything for my best friend."

Anything for his best friend.

\---

Eddy, being the good friend he was, had been able to plan his whole birthday without Brett knowing about a thing, the sneaky bastard.

"Let me drive!" Brett demanded, as his best friend led him towards his car, key in hand.

Eddy shook his head. "No way. It will spoil the surprise!"

"I will find out anyway. You drive like an old man, Eddy! We will be late to whatever you planned." But they reached the dark blue Volvo and Eddy took the driver's seat, pointedly ignoring Brett's complains with a smile.

"Brett, Brett. Trust me on this one," he said, starting the car. "I didn't forget my violin this time, it'll be alright." But Brett could hear the sightly worrying note on his voice.

"I'm not sure if that comforting," he mumbled.

They got out of their usual parking spot, right outside of Brett's door, and headed west. Brett fidgeted with the radio for a while, trying to found the classical music station, not paying much attention to the ride. As he expected, Eddy drove like they were standing on thin ice. Brett noticed that he was a little tenser than usual on his seat, probably because of the unusual amount of traffic.

It wasn't until they turned towards Victoria Bridge that Brett calculated where Eddy might be taking him, and any thoughts of Eddy's apparent stress left him.

"Eddy?" he softly asked, as they surpassed the Queensland Museum, and turned to the left. A white building stood by them, tugging Brett's memory with its geometrical roof and dark windows. "Why are we going to the Performing Arts Centre?"

Eddy gave him his best heart-stopping smile. "Can't you guess?" he said, stopping in the queue to the parking lot.

Brett felt his jaw drop against his will, but, at the moment, he couldn't care less. "Janine Jansen? _Janine Jansen_? How in the world did you get tickets for that?" Eddy shrugged, his smile still hanging on his lips.

"Been planning this for a long time."

Brett jumped - as much as he could with his seat belt still around his torso -, and pulled Eddy into a hug without ceremony, squeezing so hard he would later wonder how Eddy didn't break a bone.

"Easy, easy!" Eddy squealed, but he was laughing, one hand still on the steering wheel and the other tapping Brett's back in an awkward angle.

"Eddy! I love you, you are the absolute-top-tier-best-best-friend in the world!" Brett was slightly aware that he was screaming at the other's ears. Eddy's shoulder was painful against his chest, and his glasses poked his neck, where Brett had sunk his head. He lifted it, looking into Eddy's eyes, that were full of sunshine and familiarity. "I could kiss you right now!"

Eddy's smile died a little, before swiftly turning into a smirk. "Janine Jansen is all it takes? Really?"

Before Brett could process whatever his best friend meant, the car behind them honked hard enough to make them both jump and fall back onto their seats. The line was moving ahead of them. The car honked again.

"Okay, okay, I heard you the first time," Eddy grumbled, changing gears and moving forward. "Mister 'My honk is a C sharp'."

Brett giggled, and Eddy smiled. In the corner of his eye, Brett could see the pink tone flushing his cheeks and the back of his neck. 'Cute' was the only way to describe it. Brett didn't know how to feel about it.

\---

The Concert Hall was as breath-taking as Brett remembered. The sunlight poured through the high windows, golden and bright, and Brett filled his lungs with the heavy scent of wooden floors and warm silence.

He wouldn't play today, but he could still feel it under his skin, the excitement before a concert, the adrenaline of performing. He felt Eddy stiffening by his side as they entered, and he knew he could feel it too.

Eddy didn't only get the tickets for the concert, tho. He got the tickets for the best seats: right in the middle of the crowd, heading towards the orchestra. Brett took his place with a grin. His hands were fidgeting against his will, opening, closing and turning the program. Janine Jansen was playing Britten's violin concerto, and Brett couldn't wait to hear it live, on a Stradivarius.

It seemed like an eternity passed before the lights went out and the orchestra entered the stage, under the thunder-like sound of a full hall applauding. The conductor followed, and finally - _finally_ \- Jansen walked in, dazzling in her brownish dress, her hair floating behind her. When Brett finally stopped applauding, he felt Eddy's hand on his arm.

"You're shaking," he informed, with a silent question and concern on his eyes. Brett just smiled and laid back on his chair, trying to relax.

Eddy's fingers slid down until they intertwined with Brett's and clutched them gently. Brett's guts did some backflips and somersaults before settling under Eddy's touch. He squeezed his hand back as Janine lifted her bow.

\---

Two hours later, Brett and Eddy returned to the car. Both their faces were stained with tears - none of them could help but feel overwhelmed by music, after all - but they wore twin smiles.

And, at some point, they forgot to stop holding hands.

\---

Then, Eddy took Brett to their favourite Chinese restaurant.

"Bro," Brett said as they left the bright red building, their stomachs almost too full. "I will become a spoiled brat at this rate!"

Eddy gave him a tender shove with his arm. "Try to stop me," he dared.

"Hum," Brett affected to consider the case. "I'd rather not, actually."

He smiled at Eddy, and Eddy smiled back. It was not the one Brett was used to. It wasn't eye-wrinkling nor over-enthusiastic. It was new: sweet, careful and somewhat adoring, and it made Brett's heart skip beats at his own accord and melted his brain. He looked away, painfully aware of the heat trying to fill his cheeks.

"Where are we going next?"

"Bold of you to assume I've planned something more," Eddy said. Brett glanced at him with raised eyebrows. Eddy sighed. "Fine, yeah. We're going to the beach."

It turned out Eddy's idea of going to the beach was much more sophisticated than Brett's.

"Blankets, chocolate," he was announcing, his voice overly-excited. "No champagne, because I'm still a _minor_. I still think that anyone who survived playing in a quartet should be allowed to drink, but-"

"Eddy," Brett interrupted. "Why do we need so many things just to watch the sunset?"

With that, Eddy looked away and crossed his arms, letting the plaid blanket drop. His lips were pinched together, his smile gone. 'Oh, no,' Brett thought. He knew this expression. He knew it too well. If Brett didn't do anything, Eddy would fall in his pit of craving for perfection in no time.

"Hey, Eddy," he softly called, pulling an arm out and grabbing his hand, just like they did earlier. "Look at me?" Eddy's eyes were dark and warm in the fading sunlight, filled with uncertainty and doubt.

Brett facepalmed internally for his own stupidity. He had seen the signs: the worry, the tenseness... How could Brett let it pass?

"Thank you for today," he said, trying to sound as reassuring as he could. "Truly. I had a great time."

"But they didn't have your favourite bubble tea flavour, and you cried during the concert, and the food took so much time to arrive, and-"

Brett shook his head, silencing his best friend with a finger over his lips. "Eddy. None of it matters. Today was perfect. The best birthday ever." The hands in Brett's relaxed. "I was with you, after all."

Finally, Eddy's frown softened and his cheeks turned a soft tone of pink. "Anything for my absolute-top-tier-best-best-friend in the world."

Brett felt his own pout. This 'best friend' thing was starting to annoy him.

He and Eddy were close, hand in hand, the chilling autumn air turned warm between them. The blanket and everything else was forgotten on the sand at their feet, and the sky turned orange, then purple, then blue above them.

They stayed in silence for a while, stuck in a game of glance-reading.

Eddy raised an eyebrow. 'What's wrong?' Brett lightly shrugged and averted his gaze. 'Nothing.' A huff and a knowing look. ' _Clearly_.'

"Shuddup," Brett whispered.

"I didn't say anything," Eddy laughed. His breath graced Brett's lips - they weren't getting any farther. Eddy smirked. "Aren't you going to kiss me 'thank you'?"

And it clicked in Brett's head. And it filled his chest: standing side by side, hours in a smelly practice room, bubble tea over homework, concerts and music camps. Security and companionship, trust and love. All these years of friendship.

Brett was smiling when he kissed Eddy.

What were them besides the beginning?

\---

It ended on 3rd March of 2011. It was Brett's birthday, but they were celebrating the future, the years to come.

Because, until now, it was all just the prelude.


End file.
